Dr. Paul Donohue Good Health

DR. PAUL DONOHUE GOOD HEALTH

Dear Dr. Donohue: I know women should take calcium supplements, but is it a good idea for men? -- J.B.

Dear J.B.: Men can and do get osteoporosis. The daily recommended calcium allotment for men and women ages 31 to 50 is 1,000 milligrams, and for those 51 and older it is 1,200 milligrams.

The two most common calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. If the label on a food or supplement gives the amount of calcium as "calcium", that is the amount of pure calcium contained in the food. That amount is also called "elemental calcium." It's the number you pay attention to. If the label gives the amount of calcium as "calcium carbonate," then the amount of pure calcium is only 40 percent of the stated weight. If it gives the weight as "calcium citrate," the amount of pure calcium is only 21 percent of the weight. For example, a food (or supplement) that has 1,000 milligrams of calcium carbonate has only 40 percent of that weight as pure or elemental calcium -- 400 milligrams. One thousand milligrams of calcium citrate has only 210 milligrams of pure calcium.

No more than 500 milligrams of calcium should be taken at any one time.

Calcium citrate is more easily absorbed than calcium carbonatYou can take calcium citrate without regard to meals. You should take calcium carbonate with meals, since it needs stomach acid for absorption.

You can get all the calcium you need from food and drink. One cup of plain, nonfat yogurt has 350 to 400 milligrams; a cup of skim milk, 300; 1 ounce of cheese, 200 to 270; 3/4 cup of fortified orange juice, 225; 3 ounces of sardines with bones, 400.

Dear Dr. Donohue: There is much publicity about the dangers of secondhand smoke, even that it is more hazardous than firsthand. Why is it so? -- C.B.

Dear C.B.: Most secondhand smoke comes from a smoldering cigarette. That kind of smoke has high levels of carbon monoxide, cyanide, arsenic and nicotine tars.

When a smoker puffs on a cigarette, it temporarily burns at a higher temperature which affords a more complete combustion of some of the cigarette's toxic materials.